years from now
by raining ripples
Summary: she finally realises what would make them really happy. drabble


**Title: **years from now  
><strong>Author: <strong>Rainingripples  
><strong>Warnings: <strong>Shattered hopes and dreams  
><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>Do not own  
><strong>Notes: <strong>At the end.

* * *

><p>They weren't happy, oh, no.<p>

She wonders quietly to herself if they ever were.

Theirs had been a quick romance, fueled by war and fanned by lust. Sometimes Temari wonders if he just wanted to let loose and she was his escape from that. There had always been a stigma with him, lazy, smart even boring. She had felt kind of special, to be the one chosen. People had expected his childhood friend and team mate - they had unbreakable bonds after all. But then he had gone and done the opposite, chosen and courted a girl from another country. And she? She had felt proud, proud of being_the one._

Now, belatedly perhaps, Temari wonders if she ever was,_ the one, _she means. Perhaps at some point she had been_ one _of them, but she was probably never _the _one.

She chuckles humourlessly into her tea, fingers wrapped around the small porcelain teacup. Her legs were folded underneath her, knees tucked under the low table. The house was empty and quiet, old and creaky. Their only son was out, 19 and an adult. He was out, where, Temari did not know.

The thought flits through her mind, was he with her? Probably, she muses. There had been whispers around the village, in the marketplace, the restaurants. They were together often, him and her. What about the wife, she was never seen with him anymore? They would look and stare and look away. They had never opened up to her, not really, remaining somehow distant even after so many years. With her however, everyone came alive, she could walk down the main street and speak to every vendor.

_Look,_

_she's so beautiful,_

_so strong._

_Poor thing,_

_her husband died so young._

_How amazing of her,_

_to be raising the kids all by herself,_

_aren't they beautiful,_

_they look just like her._

And the raging green monster inside would go on a rampage and when it did she couldn't help but take it out on him.

Sometimes, Temari would see him accompanying her, helping her carry groceries, keeping her company on a walk or at the store. She had retired from life as a shinobi early, after her husband died she took to running her family's florist and raising her two children full time. (Temari scoffs, if it was her she would be able to balance both.) He had felt some kind of responsibility, she supposed, they had always been the closest friends since childhood and years of distance did nothing to weaken that bond. They just clicked.

Temari laughs bitterly, out loud, just to hear her voice in the emptiness of the house. She could no longer deny it any longer. The perpetual blindfold she had donned was loosening and she saw things with new eyes. She didn't feel a heavy remorse upon realisation like she had feared. Instead there was a lightness, not freedom, no, but like she had dropped a load off her back. It felt like once she started moving she would be able to drop more until finally, one day, she'd be free.

She glaced down at the table and signed the paper document she had gotten that morning. A decision she would not be able to take back.

They weren't happy, no, but maybe now he would be.

.

.

.

_Shikamaru, I'm leaving you._

_The last 20 or so years have been great. Well most of them, these last few have really worn me down. I'm really sorry for being the way I have. I know I've been unbearable, always nagging, yelling, starting fights. I was jealous. I know that now. I'm sorry it took me so long to realise. I'm sorry I took it out on you._

_I'm also so angry, SO angry at you. I put all the effort into the relationship these few years and it feels like you did nothing on your part to even stitch us together. You're so _fucking lazy_sometimes, it pisses me off. Though, I suppose I knew that, I married you didn't I?_

_I've put a lot of thought into us over the last couple of days. Thank you for some of the best times in my life. Thank you for everything. I have to move on though. It might seem like I'm running away but it will be better for the both of us. I promise._

_I've discussed this with Shikadai already, he understands. He's a smart boy that one, he takes after you, I'm really proud._

_I've signed divorce papers already, they're attached. Be a darling and hand them to the hokage after you sign them, yea?_

_Well, I guess this is it, strangely I feel liberated doing this, guess I should have done this ages ago hey?_

_Go be with her (yes, I know, everyone knows. Seriously, you guys are made for each other. Go.)_

_I will love you always,_  
><em>Temari<em>

_P.S. I will try keep Gaara and Kankuro from killing you during the next meeting. No guarantees though._

_._  
><em>.<em>  
><em>.<em>

* * *

><p><em>Aaaaand <em>**ITS A WRAP.**

**naruto**

**is **

**over.**

can you guys even brain that?

SASUSAKU + NARUHINA ARE CANON, woooo

ShikaIno aren't though, and that makes me so so sad. Although I probably knew they wouldn't be together cause of InoShikaCho, I always just hoped. :(

This is what I imagine would happen further down the track, Temari and Shikamaru looked so serious and unhappy in the last chapter that it made me kinda happy? hahahaha, I'm the worst. I even went ahead and spammed this out before writing about my OTP SasuSaku. That's how mad I was. HAHA

Don't know why, I've always disliked Temari, ever since she was first introduced I just couldn't stand her... weird hey? haha. My dislike is to the point that even if there was a well written SasuSaku x NaruHina x NejiTen fic and there was ShikaTema, I would just not read it.

Please don't hate me.

(btw, this is unedited and written at 2 in the morning. dont judge)

xxRR.


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